Ebisu ranks as one of the higher end Japanese restaurants, with a prime spot in Britomart and a spacious, slightly industrial interior. Prices certainly match the concept, and expectations are set high. Those expectations were dashed that evening.

We ordered the breadth of the menu including pork belly, seared beef, karaage chicken and soft shell grab. Those dishes we had were certainly enjoyable, mostly Japanese inspired (as opposed to traditional), and most certainly small portioned. The pork belly was delicious, but them I've never yet had bad pork belly. The same could be said of all the dishes: well prepared, small portioned, delicious but were they anything special? Perhaps not.

With our set of Japanese dishes finished, next came the beautifully sculpted sushi platter "for 6". If you're here for raw fish only, then this platter is more suitable for 2-3 people, where the restaurant got the "6" from I'm not sure. Not to knock on the size too much, onto more important things. Like knocking the taste and texture.

The majority of the fish was dry and tasteless. In fact it tasted like it had been cut that morning and left out that evening. How one of the 'premier' Japanese restaurants in the city can ruin sushi is beyond me, but there it was: dry and bland.

the shared dishes ranged from enjoyable to delicious, but with small portions and big prices to boot. The would be star of the show: sushi and sashimi "for 6" was perhaps the most disappointing i've eaten. For the sin of ruining good fish, I'm never going back.